George W. Bush

==== Environmental policies ====
{{Main|Domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration#Environment}}

Upon taking office in 2001, Bush stated his opposition to the [[Kyoto Protocol]], an amendment to the [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]] which seeks to impose mandatory targets for reducing [[greenhouse gas emissions]], citing that the treaty exempted 80 percent of the world's population<ref>{{cite web |date=March 13, 2001 |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/03/20010314.html |title=Letter from the President to Senators Hagel, Helms, Craig, and Roberts |publisher=Office of the Press Secretary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507053351/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/03/20010314.html |archive-date=May 7, 2013 }}</ref> and would have cost tens of billions of dollars per year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/kyoto/economic.htm |title=Summary of the Kyoto Report – Assessment of Economic Impacts |publisher=Energy Information Administration |date=July 16, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523060852/http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/kyoto/economic.htm |archive-date=May 23, 2011 }}</ref> He also cited that the Senate had voted 95–0 in 1997 on a resolution expressing its disapproval of the protocol.

In May 2001, Bush signed an [[executive order]] to create an interagency task force to streamline energy projects,<ref name=eo13212>Bush, George W. [http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/oeprod/DocumentsandMedia/Executive_Order_13212.pdf Executive Order 13212 – Actions To Expedite Energy-Related Projects] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626055924/http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/oeprod/DocumentsandMedia/Executive_Order_13212.pdf |date=June 26, 2012 }} ''[[United States Department of Energy]]'', May 18, 2001. [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=61397 Amendment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229023734/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=61397 |date=December 29, 2011 }}. Retrieved September 24, 2011.</ref> and later signed two other executive orders to tackle environmental issues.<ref name="sovaWater">{{cite web |author1=Benjamin K. Sovacool |author2=Kelly K. Sovacool |title=Preventing National Electricity-Water Crisis Areas in the United States |url=http://www.columbiaenvironmentallaw.org/assets/pdfs/34.2/6._Sovacool_34.2.pdf |publisher=[[Columbia Journal of Environmental Law]] |access-date=September 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208084904/http://www.columbiaenvironmentallaw.org/assets/pdfs/34.2/6._Sovacool_34.2.pdf |archive-date=December 8, 2013 |page=389 |date=July 20, 2009|author1-link=Benjamin K. Sovacool }}</ref>

In 2002, Bush proposed the [[Clear Skies Act of 2003]],<ref name="EXsummary">{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/02/clearskies.html |title=Executive Summary – The Clear Skies Initiative |date=February 14, 2002 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |publisher=[[White House]] |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-date=May 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505065602/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/02/clearskies.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which aimed at amending the [[Clean Air Act (United States)|Clean Air Act]] to reduce air pollution through the use of [[emissions trading]] programs. Many experts argued that this legislation would have weakened the original legislation by allowing higher emission rates of pollutants than were previously legal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sierraclub.org/cleanair/clear_skies.asp |publisher=The [[Sierra Club]] |title=Clear Skies Proposal Weakens the Clean Air Act |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917224422/http://www.sierraclub.org/cleanair/clear_skies.asp |archive-date=September 17, 2008 }}</ref> The initiative was introduced to Congress, but failed to make it out of committee.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Later in 2006, Bush declared the [[Northwestern Hawaiian Islands]] a national monument, creating the largest [[marine reserve]] to date. The [[Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument]] comprises 84 million acres (340,000{{nbs}}km<sup>2</sup>) and is home to 7,000 species of fish, birds, and other marine animals, many of which are specific to only those islands.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/13300363|title=Bush creates world's biggest ocean preserve|last=Llanos|first=Miguel|date=June 16, 2006|access-date=November 19, 2019|publisher=NBC News|agency=Associated Press|archive-date=December 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202142001/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/13300363|url-status=live}}</ref> The move was hailed by conservationists for "its foresight and leadership in protecting this incredible area".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.org/initiatives/marine/press/press2489.html |title=The Nature Conservancy Applauds President Bush for Creating World's Largest Marine Conservation Area in Hawaii |date=June 16, 2006 |publisher=[[The Nature Conservancy]] |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-date=November 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081128101124/http://www.nature.org/initiatives/marine/press/press2489.html }}</ref>

Bush has said he believes that [[global warming]] is real<ref>{{cite news |title=Interview with President Bush |work=White House Transcript |date=May 13, 2008 |access-date=May 14, 2008 |quote=Q. Mr. President, for the record, is global warming real? A. Yes, it is real, sure is. |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10316_Page3.html |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517115554/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10316_Page3.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and has noted that it is a serious problem, but he asserted there is a "debate over whether it's man-made or naturally caused".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060626-2.html |title=Press Conference |date=June 26, 2006 |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502232627/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060626-2.html |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |publisher=[[White House]] }}</ref> The Bush Administration's stance on global warming remained controversial in the scientific and environmental communities. Critics have alleged that the administration<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/6341451|title=NASA Scientist Rips Bush on Global Warming|date=October 27, 2004|access-date=September 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507053351/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6341451|archive-date=May 7, 2013|publisher=NBC News|agency=Associated Press}}; {{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/17/60minutes/main1415985_page2.shtml|title=60 Minutes: Rewriting the Science|date=March 19, 2006|access-date=September 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502232627/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/17/60minutes/main1415985_page2.shtml|archive-date=May 2, 2013|publisher=CBS News}}</ref> misinformed the public and did not do enough to reduce [[greenhouse gas#Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities|carbon emissions]] and deter global warming.<ref>{{cite book |title=Hell or High Water |first=Joe |last=Romm |publisher=William Morrow |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-06-117212-0 |oclc=77537768 |url=https://archive.org/details/hellhighwaterglo00romm_0 }}; Romm calls Bush's "don't rush to judgment" and "we need to ask more questions" stance a classic delay tactic. Part 2.</ref>